HC Deb 23 June 2004 vol 422 cc1419-20W
David Davis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the steps he is taking to provide funding to Neighbourhood Watch schemes. [177724]

Ms Blears

Neighbourhood Watch Schemes are local partnerships between communities, the Police, local authorities and others.

The Government supports these local schemes in various ways: supplying free publications, sponsoring national conferences in 2002 and 2003 and significant amounts of Police and local authority staff time.

David Davis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the steps he is taking to provide funding to the National Neighbourhood Watch Association. [177725]

Ms Blears

The National Neighbourhood Watch Association is an independent organisation that has funded itself from commercial sponsorship since its foundation.

The Home Office nevertheless provided the National Neighbourhood Watch Association with exceptional grants totalling £350,000 during 2003. Following an audit of the National Neighbourhood Watch Association's finances, and taking account of Government accounting rules, the Home Secretary declined to grant further funds.

David Davis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has held with the National Neighbourhood Watch Association regarding funding for Neighbourhood Watch. [177730]

Ms Blears

[holding answer 9 June 2004]: The Home Office's discussions with the National Neighbourhood Watch Association have focused on the funding for that organisation rather than for the local schemes. We are not aware of any specific proposals from the National Neighbourhood Watch Association in relation to funding for individual Neighbourhood Watch Schemes.

However, the Government support Neighbourhood Watch schemes as a partnership between communities, the police and local authorities in various ways. This includes supplying free publications and training materials, sponsoring national conferences in 2002 and 2003, and significant amounts of Police and local authority staff time.